Fountain-brush.



PATENTBD JAN. 27, 1903.

N0 KODEL.

Uwrrnn dramas PATENT FFIQE...

JAMES F. SPENCE, OF LIBERTY, NEBRASKA.

FQUNTAlN-BRUSH.

.EEEGIFIGATIOIN forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,156, datedJanuary 1903- Application filed June 12. 1902. Serial No. 111,378. (Nomodel?! To all who/7t it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES F. SPENCE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Liberty, in the county of Gage and State of Nebraska, haveinvented a new and useful Fountain- Brush, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates generally to fountain-brushes, and particularlyto a novel form of fountain toilet-brush.

The object of the invention is to provide a brush adapted for generaltoilet purposes, but more particularly as a bath-brush, whereinprovision is made for connection with a fancet or other suitable supplyof water and in which positivelyoperating means are provided to controlat will the supply of water to the brush.

A further object is to effect a novel assemblage of the hairs orbristles with the brushbody, the connection to be such that the bristleswill at once be positively held against separation from the body and bespaced into bunches or tufts, thereby to facilitate the distribution ofthe water over the entire brushsurface.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in the novelconstruction and combination of parts of a fountain-brush, as will behereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts, thereis illustrated one form of embodiment of the invention capable ofcarrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that theelements therein exhibited may be varied or changed as to shape,proportion, and exact manner of assemblage without departing from thespirit of the invention, and in these drawings- Figure 1 is a view inlongitudinal section through the center of the brush. Fig. 2 is a viewin plan from the under side of the brush, the bristles being omitted.Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of a section of the face-plate,

showing the manner in which the same is struck up prior to having thebristles assembled therewith. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing themanner in which the bristles are secured in position. Fig. 5 is a viewin transverse section through a completed brush.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the body of the brush,comprising a reservoir 2 and a face-plate These parts are to be made ofany suitable metal, preferably one that is non-oxidizable, and the brushas a whole may be elliptical, as shown in Fig. 2, 0r 0f anyotherpreferred contour. The faceplate is provided withlongitndinally-disposed corrugations 4, of any preferred depth, thecorrugations being disposed within the reservoir, and between theopposing Walls thereof the rows of bristles or hairs 5 are secured. Themetal between the corrugations presents a plurality of fiat surfaces 6,having orifices 7, disposed as close together as may be desired, theseorifices constituting liquid-escape openings by which the water issupplied to the bristles. The bristles are secured within thecorrugations by being looped around retaining-wires 8, as clearly shownin Figs. 4 and 5, and the crests of the corrugations are then passedbetween suitable rollers to crimp or bind them around the bends of thebristles and the wires, presenting thereby tubular housings 9, asclearly shown in the figures above referred to. In practice the bristleswill be strung closely together upon the wires, and in order to separatethem into bunches or tufts, as is common with ordinary hairbrushes, thewalls of the corrugations are indented or upset, as at 10, presentingthereby inward-projecting studs or tongues, which, in addition tospacing the hairs into bunches, as above set forth, also serveadditionally to effect binding of the bristles between the corrugations.

One end of the body is provided with a tu bular projection 11, having atapered bore 12, in which is seated a conical valve 13, and connectingwith the valve is a stem or rod 14,

which projects through the opposite end of the body and carries apress-button, between which and the said end of the body is arranged acoiled spring 16, the function of which is to keep the valve normallyseated, and thus preclude entrance of water to the reservoir. Theprojection 11 is designed to be engaged by a piece of rubber tubing 17,which may connect with a faucet or other suitable source ofwater-supply.

In the use of the device the water is-permitted to flow to the tube 17,but is prevented from entering the reservoir until the valve 13 isunseated. When this is done, the water rapidly fills the reservoir andescapes through the openings 7 onto the bristles or hairs and from theseto the person of the user. As soon as the press-button is released thesupply of water is positively cut off, so that when the brush is not inuse and is suspended by the tube any water in the tube will be preventedfrom leaking into the reservoir, and thus to the bristles, which wouldprevent the bristles from becoming thoroughly dried after use.

Should it be desired to use the brush as an ordinary hair-brush, it maybe detached from the tubing 17, the reservoir being previously filled ornot, as may be preferred.

The brush of this invention will be found thoroughly sanitary in use,for the reason that as the water is supplied outward any matter caughtby the bristles will be expelled by the water passing through them.

It will be understood in practice that the body and face-plate orbrush-carrier will be formed independently of each other and that afterthe bristles have been associated with the face-plate this will beattached to the body in any preferred manner, as by being soldered orbrazed thereto.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A toilet-brush comprising a hollow body portion and a face-platehaving inward-projecting corrugations and lateral bristle-spacing means,and bristles secured within the corrugations at the crests thereof.

2. A toilet-brush comprising a hollow body portion and a face-plateprovided with inward-projecting corrugations,bristles secured within thecorrugations at the crests thereof, retaining-wires disposed between thebonds of the bristles within the corrugations, and means for spacing thebristles into tufts orbunches.

3. A toilet-brush comprisinga body portion and a face-plate providedwith inward-projecting corrugations, bristles secured within thecorrugations at the crests thereof, and means in the walls of thecorrugations to effect separating of the bristles into bunches.

4. A toilet-brush comprising a body portion and a face-plate providedwith inward-projecting corrugations having their crests crimped andtheir walls provided with inward-projecting tongues, and bristles heldwithin the corrugations by the crimps and spaced into tufts or bunchesby the tongues.

5. A toilet-brush comprising a hollow body portion having means forconnection with a source of liquid-supply, and a faceplate provided withinward-projecting corrugations having water-escape openings betweenthem, means for controlling the supply of .water to the body portion,bristles secured Within the corrugations at the crests thereof,retainingwires disposed between the bend of the bristles within thecorrugations, and means for spacing the bristles into tufts or bunches.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signaturein the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES F. SPENOE.

Witnesses:

W. J. DILLON, J. H. JooHUM, Jr.

